Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale Forest and chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Gorillas, Lake Mburo National Park, Kampala, Boat cruise on the Nile, Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel, Lake Bunyonyi, Sipi Falls and Jinja

Safari includes meals, accommodations, park entry fees, all activities listed including gorilla permit ($500 US), return ground transport, and services of driver/guide.  Not included are tips, souvenirs, all beverages and items of a personal nature. Note that, at times during high season, gorilla permits may not be available in Uganda so we can take you to Rwanda's gorilla park instead.

Day 1
We will leave Jinja early and cross the mighty White Nile before driving westward on the main Kampala highway and then north to the town of Masindi, the gateway to Murchison Falls National Park. As we cross into the park, we will pass through lowland jungle before travelling up and over a side-shoot of the Great Rift Valley. We will then move down into the Nile Valley and rolling savannah lands. We make a stop at the top of the famous Murchison Falls, where the entire Nile is forced through a 6m gap in a pounding fury, before spilling out into a more placid flow at the bottom. The night is spent camping beside the Nile, where the laughing of hyenas, the roar of lions and the grunting of hippos will thrill you to the core.

Day 2
A very early start this morning and we will cross the Nile by car ferry and begin a game drive encompassing elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard, buffalo and a huge variety of other wildlife, before we move down to the delta region beside Lake Albert and underneath the Blue Mountains of the Congo. Later today we will take a boat ride up the river to the bottom of Murchison Falls, where roiling water, floating crocodiles and pods of hippo intersperse with some of the best bird viewing in the world. We will stay at the same camp tonight.

Day 3
Today we will drive southward down the western edge of Uganda, through winding agricultural lands, where you can glimpse the Ugandan way of rural life as villagers and their children wave as we drive by. We will enter the crater-lake region located underneath the magnificent Rwenzori Mountains. We spend the night camping beside a beautiful crater lake within the famous tea growing region of Uganda.

Day 4
Waking up early, you can hope to get a good view of the “Mountains of the Moon” before we make our way into the chimpanzee forests of Kibale National Park. Get your walking shoes on as we move through bush and jungle to spend time with our fascinating relatives, watching them swing through the trees or move quickly across the ground in front of us. The park is home to 12 species of primate and an incredible array of birdlife, including the Great Blue Turaco. In the afternoon we can take an optional walk over boardwalks through some nearby jungle and swamplands, giving a fascinating insight to the wetland. We will again camp next to a crater lake tonight, under the stars.

Day 5
We will drive down good roads until we get to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Game driving will allow you to meet wildlife face to face from the safety of our luxury vehicle. You may like to take an ice cold drink overlooking the savannah, on the balcony of Mweya Safari Lodge before camping another night in wild Africa.

Day 6
An early morning game drive will get your heart pumping as we get up close and personal to the wildlife of the area.  We will take a relaxing and wonderful boat ride up the Kazinga Channel in the afternoon, introducing you to thousands of hippos, crocodiles and a myriad of bird life before camping nearby again.

Day 7
We continue to move through the National Park as we enter the southern region known as Ishasha. This area is famous for tree-climbing lions, and driving underneath the huge thorn trees is an experience you will never forget, as you find the lions lolling around in the upper branches. We camp the night next to a stream that houses a large pod of hippos, and you will be able to sit just above them and watch their antics, before retiring around the campfire for the night.

Day 8
Another game drive on a different circuit may bring you in to contact with the large herds of elephant fleeing over the border into Congo after their nightly raids on the agricultural lands to the east. Huge herds of buffalo and antelope are out on the grassy plains and you may even glimpse a giant forest hog. We will spend the rest of the day in the park, relaxing and watching the game come to us, or talk with the rangers about their fascinating and varied roles.

Day 9
We leave the park and enter the country of the south-west, where winding roads lead through tiered agricultural lands and take us to the misty mountains of the gorillas. We will camp out the night on the edge of the Mountain Gorillas’ natural habitat.

Day 10
Rise with the sun and trek into the green cloaked and misty mountains to find the world’s rarest primate. The rainforest will drip around you as you first hear the breaking of bamboo, signaling the group is near. Then you will be face to face with one of the most delightful and fascinating creatures in the world. After an hour’s viewing you will make the trek back to camp, where you will tumble into bed after an exhausting and exhilarating day.

Day 11
We will spend another day in the volcano region. While the rest of the group treks, you may spend time meeting and greeting local people, relaxing, walking through the beautiful region or strolling through the town.

Day 12
The beautiful Lake Bunyonyi beckons today, with its gorgeous birdlife, dugout canoe trips on the lake, fascinating walks, great bar and relaxing swimming in Uganda’s deepest lake.

Day 13
Another day at the lake.  Why not take a canoe ride out to Biashara Island or check out some of the lovely history of the area on some of the islands dotted throughout the lake.

Day 14
Today we will drive through winding roads, and lake dotted countryside, before emerging onto the lower thorn and savannah scrub lands of Lake Mburo National Park. Zebra, buffalo, Ugandan Kob and plenty of other species abound in this beautiful park. We camp the night beside a lake where hippos are sure to come and graze around your tent.

Day 15
Care for a walk in the wild? This morning we are going to take a walking safari, complete with a ranger, so we can get up close and personal on ground level to many of the beautiful and free animals of the park. This afternoon we can take a drive around the park or you may prefer to take a boat out on the lake and explore the dense reeds.

Day 16
Today we travel to the edge of Lake Victoria before taking a ferry across to the idyllic Ssese Islands. We will spend the night on white sands, swimming in the waters of the lake and barbecuing fish on the beach.

Day 17
We drive around the islands to have a look at local fishing communities and the different cultural way of life on the islands. Rest and relaxation on the beach is on the agenda for the afternoon.

Day 18
Today we will make our way back to Kampala and check out the Kasubi Tombs in the afternoon. We will stay at a campground within Kampala tonight.

Day 19
Drive eastward to Sipi Falls and the beautiful region of Mbale, where Mt. Elgon looms over the surrounding valley and the views are second to none. The beautiful waterfalls of the region are right on your doorstep as we camp on the edge of the precarious cliff edge.

Day 20
We take an early morning walk through the lush banana plantations that abound in the valley, before hiking up the side of the waterfall and perhaps taking a swim in one of the beautiful swimming holes at the top.

Day 21
Today we will make our way back to Jinja or Kampala and the end of your Essential Uganda safari.

Pricing based on Double Occupancy per person rate - discounts for larger groups
Camping Safari - $4360 USD
Budget Hotel - $5050 USD

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Contact us to inquire or make a reservation.  See Booking Conditions and What You Should Know.